American comics: Starting with Luke the Maker

Reed, Susan, and the others all turned their gazes to Big Harry, their eyes filled with entreaty and expectation.

"Rest assured, your identity information has already been registered with S.H.I.E.L.D. I've already submitted your information. Data Dimension doesn't have any overly strict review standards right now. We've experienced situations like yours before. In fact, if it weren't for your special circumstances, with S.H.I.E.L.D. registration, Osborn Industries could have provided you with a few ID slots.

Of course, as it stands now, you, especially Dr. Reed, may have to go through an interview and assessment. But this interview and assessment are solely to verify your talent and knowledge, and won't delay your access to the Data Dimension," Big Harry said, spreading his hands and responding with a smile.

His words eased Reed and the others.

"You really should thank Harry and Dad—Mr. Osborn—here. Without their endorsement, it would be difficult for you to get this opportunity. You'd have to spend time leveling up bit by bit," Little Harry chimed in, walking over to Reed and his companions.

Among the four, Ben and Susan, being the most socially adept, easily understood the double act between the two Harrys. They weren't sure if what Little Harry said was true, but in matters like this, there was no need to deceive them. Whether or not it was the case, they had to accept the favor since they were seeking help. Moreover, given their past pleasant collaborations, Susan and Ben pulled Reed and Johnny to thank Harry once again.

"No need for that. You'd better prepare yourselves. You should receive a notification tomorrow. We need to go to the Data Dimension for the assessment. It has the best assessment environment for you, Reed. Your talent and abilities can be better utilized there. As for Harry, well, I don't think Father would mind having another son from a different universe," Big Harry patted Little Harry on the shoulder.

Encountering alternate versions of oneself and loved ones isn't always a good thing. In many cases, you might even have to fight your alternate selves or friends to the death. But these two clearly hadn't reached that point. In fact, their mutual assistance during times of crisis and the potential for future collaboration had strengthened their relationship.

What followed were various questions and answers at the dinner table. Despite only having a brief initial impression, those who were interested in the world's aspects eagerly asked Harry questions they were curious about, seeking answers.

For example, Reed was interested in technical questions, while Susan and Little Harry were more interested in the culture and rules of the major corporations here. Johnny, on the other hand, wanted to know where the fun places were or how many places had fun things and beautiful women. As for Ben? He was rather silent, occasionally looking at the things he had bought, lost in thought. Big Harry also briefly answered everyone's questions and arranged for Reed and the others to receive relevant informational data.

...

Time Variance Authority.

In a certain timeline's opera house, where a stage adaptation of the Loki opera series was being performed, Loki, engrossed in the latest act, was startled from his immersion by a loud crash.

Loki angrily turned towards the source of the noise, his expression shifting from anger to embarrassment, then to a hint of bluster.

The audience in the theater also looked towards the door, where several armored soldiers forcefully pushed it open and stood on either side, weapons in hand. A tall figure with long legs strode in through the open doorway. A pair of emerald green eyes scanned the crowd like radar, almost instantly locking onto Loki's location.

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of boots on the floor echoed crisply, and the people in the theater felt a suffocating pressure enveloping the entire space. Some wanted to angrily drive away the intruders, but the surrounding pressure kept them from speaking.

"Look, look, what is our Director doing? Hmm? Watching a play he wrote and directed himself, praising his own merits? This hobby of yours is as consistent with your persona as ever."

The slightly arrogant tone of the voice, sharp as a sword, was directed at Loki's seat. The owner of the emerald green eyes, after scanning the actors on stage with their familiar costumes, looked at Loki with a mocking smile, looking down at him and sneering.

"Sister..." Seeing the face that filled him with lingering fear, Loki cursed inwardly while forcing a smile and a look of surprise, standing up to greet her.

"Sister? I seem to recall telling you not to get familiar with me. I don't know what Odin was thinking, allowing a Frost Giant infant to become a prince of Asgard, even granting him inheritance rights. But you haven't gained my approval.

Frankly, that Asgardian brother of yours may be foolish, but at least his strength is passable. What about you? During my absence, how did the Time Variance Authority get infiltrated under your watch?"

Hela, dressed in a green robe, raised her hand to stop Loki from trying to get close. Her face was filled with undisguised mockery, coldly berating Loki. In fact, if it weren't for the shareholders of the energy bank, Hela would have kicked Loki off that position long ago and taken it herself. After all, she was the one who dared to rebel against Odin. She never showed loyalty to those weaker than her, those whose ideals differed from hers, or those who stood in her way.

Not to mention, the one sitting above her now wasn't Odin, but Loki, the third heir of Asgard. A mediocre individual who, besides being somewhat skilled in politics and having some cleverness, was otherwise useless in every aspect.

Loki's ability was lacking, his physique was lacking, and his personality was lacking. In Hela's eyes, Loki was able to sit in the position of Director of the Time Variance Authority only because he had the support of that old man, Odin. That old man was using this method to humiliate her and take revenge on her.

The Time Variance Authority should have been hers!

Hela was becoming increasingly convinced of this. Because it was she who led the soldiers to conquer civilization after civilization, universe after universe, and brought them into the Time Variance Authority's regulatory network. All of this was Hela's achievement! As for Loki? He was just a logistics officer.

Therefore, although she wasn't nominally the owner of the Time Variance Authority and didn't have the authority attached to the Director's position, Hela had always considered herself the master of the Time Variance Authority internally.

As long as her achievements were great enough, she believed that she would be able to formally snatch that position from Loki at the next energy bank conference.

So what if Odin supported him?

The energy bank's shareholders weren't just Odin. The Time Variance Authority wasn't an affiliate of Asgard, but belonged to the energy bank.

Therefore, Hela had never looked up to Loki. As long as he didn't hold her back, she could tolerate his temporary existence. Her target had always been her father, who had imprisoned her for thousands of years.

But who would have thought that the Time Variance Authority under Loki's stewardship would be successfully invaded and attacked by someone out of nowhere? In Hela's eyes, it was as if a king on an expedition received news that someone had invaded her kingdom while she was away, stealing her treasures. It was simply stimulating Hela's heart.

And the so-called minister in charge of managing the country naturally became an incompetent fool in Hela's eyes.

"How can you blame me?" Loki's face flushed red. Ever since the invasion incident occurred, he knew that he would be questioned face to face one day, but he didn't expect it to be so soon. He had tried his best to narrow the channels of information dissemination. In theory, Hela in another universe couldn't have learned of this news so quickly and then returned to question him in such a grand manner.

No, he was the Director of the Time Variance Authority, and Hela was just his subordinate!

Loki reaffirmed his conviction in his heart. He believed that he and Hela had a tacit understanding, which was that the rights to war and combat belonged to the other, while everything else belonged to him. According to this tacit understanding, Hela had no right to question him like this.

Loki's mind was in turmoil. Although he thought so, it was clear that Hela wasn't one to reason with.

"It's all because of your incompetence! I hope you don't tell me you don't even know who the intruder is? Nor have you caught him? If that's the case, then your only little bit of cleverness and ability will vanish in my eyes," Hela said sarcastically.

A miniature red dragon crawled out from Hela's shoulder, its strong lower limbs stepping on Hela's shoulder. The entire dragon looked a little listless, and its golden eyes still showed a hint of ferocity.

"Of course, I've already caught the intruder. He's currently imprisoned in the ruins of the Time Variance Authority," Loki wiped away a cold sweat. Hela's aura and the pressure of death made him very uncomfortable, and she clearly had no intention of restraining herself. The audience and actors he had invited were already unconscious. Even those who were still awake looked at the tall, stern-faced woman with frightened eyes.

"Which ruins?" Hela asked curtly and coldly.

"Number three. Wait, what do you want to do?" Seeing Hela turn to leave with her people, Loki panicked and shouted to stop her.

"What do I want to do?" Hela turned around, her emerald green eyes narrowed as she stared intently at Loki. After a moment, she glanced at the silent stage and audience, and under Loki's panicked but forcibly calm expression, she said, "Of course, I'm going to interrogate him. As for you, you can continue watching your play. I don't mind you watching here for longer."

Loki suppressed the unease and panic in his heart: "I've already interrogated him. You shouldn't be here now! You should be staying in that world called Azeroth!"

"Oh? What did you find out?" Hela paused, standing in place, looking at Loki, who dared to confront her today, with some interest. Although he still looked blustery, at least he was acting like it.

"It's Kang!" Loki really wanted to ignore Hela's question, but under the pressure of her aura, his already fragile psychological defenses collapsed. He sighed and revealed the information he had gleaned from the interrogation.

"Kang?" Hela chewed on the name. The name sounded familiar to her.

"Kang the Conqueror! The previous master of the Time Variance Authority! Of course, this information is only known to a few people because the timeline of the Time Variance Authority has been covered and reshaped.

He was targeted by Luke somewhere, so he arranged for me to go undercover. I helped Luke find him and used the weapon Luke gave me to kill him, or rather, to kill him along with his alternate versions from the multiverse. Luke got what he wanted, and then I got the Time Variance Authority.

After Kang died, everything was rewritten by Luke. The Time Variance Authority was originally just an organization used to stabilize the so-called Sacred Timeline in Kang's hands, but it was abandoned after Luke intervened and changed to what it is now," Loki said, giving up everything, including the secrets that were unknown to the old employees of the Time Variance Authority, even after it was twisted.

"You're lying!" Hela frowned.

"I'm not!" Loki retorted, somewhat exasperated.

"If that Luke had already killed all the Kangs from the multiverse, then where did that Kang in this incident come from?" Hela pointed out the loophole.

"I'm talking about Kang's alternate versions from the multiverse. But there are always some peculiar variants and powerful individuals who manage to survive by luck and other factors. After the Sacred Timeline was destroyed and not constrained, those Kangs may have gained information and memories about the Time Variance Authority. Only they can understand the loopholes and weaknesses of the Time Variance Authority," Loki argued.

"Then what about that Luke? Doesn't he want to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots?" Hela's brow remained furrowed.

"He doesn't care about these things. Perhaps in his opinion, those lucky survivors can't cause much trouble, or something else. Anyway, he has already gotten what he wanted. In fact, he directly annihilated the Kang Council, which was composed of the vast majority of Kangs from the multiverse. If they were still alive, do you think your conquest would be so smooth? I think you probably wouldn't even be able to conquer a universe where Kang exists," Loki retorted.

"I never think about things that haven't happened," Hela turned to leave again, the subsequent voice echoing in the silent and empty theater, specially designed for echoes: "I'm taking that person away. I think he still has a lot of things that can be dug out. I really want to know where that Kang, who dared to plot against the Time Variance Authority, is hiding."